Time to clear out the weekend links:
- Ex-Port VP’s severance raises eyebrows (Chris Moran, Houston Chronicle)
Clearly, this is an organization that desperately needs some oversight (and maybe more media coverage). - HUD probe forces projects to halt (Bradley Olson, Houston Chronicle)
The temporary moratorium comes as the city’s housing department continues to struggle under the onus of adverse HUD findings from the mayoral administrations of Bill White and Lee Brown.
In previous years, HUD “findings,” or challenges to the way the city has administered federal money, have resulted in requirements that the city repay millions to the agency.
Does the Friday-press-conference method of trying to bury bad news like this really work any more?
- Residents in half of city's historic districts seek vote on status (Mike Morris, Houston Chronicle)
That must be a little embarrassing to Mayor Parker and Councilmember Lovell. - Battle brewing between Heights homeowners and city (Andy Cerota, KTRK-13 News)
- MetroLift riders complain of long waits (Jeff McShan, KHOU-11 News)
- Harris Co. departments asked to prepare 10% budget cuts (Chris Moran, Houston Chronicle)
- San Antonio’s KLRN launching news program in January (Jeanne Jakle, SAEN)
“Rick” is Rick Casey, an award-winning columnist for the Houston Chronicle, who has deep roots in S.A. journalism. Though born in St. Louis, he graduated from St. Mary’s University here. After contributing to publications all over the country, including the New York Times and Washington Post, he returned to the Alamo City, where he worked as writer and editor for the old SA Magazine and as reporter and columnist for both the San Antonio Express-News and the old San Antonio Light.
[snip]
“You have to approach San Antonio with a good combination of outrage and humor,” Casey said in a phone call from Houston, adding he is thrilled about this chance for a little energizing change. “I’m really excited about having the opportunity to plug back into San Antonio.”
Casey will commute from Houston, where he’ll continue to write two columns a week.
Strangely, there’s no reference to his plagiarism in this glowing review.
Casey has never really thrown himself into covering Houston despite writing for our daily and living here, so going back to San Antonio ought to work out well. Kind of funny that San Antonio will be getting a Houston-area hack to comment on their affairs, while Houston gets a San Antonio-area talker to comment on its affairs (in the form of Joe Pags).
Hat tip to Slampo for the heads up on this one.
- These Men Want to Save You a Taco (Truck) (Eating Our Words)
It doesn’t help that mainstream news outlets such as KPRC gives air time to frivolous, casually racist stories like “Health department says filthy taco truck vendors found during surprise visits.”
The story wasn’t racist (and the unsubstantiated accusations of the same grow to have less effect all the time, thankfully), and the story wasn’t even KPRC’s! Just another example of fact-free/editor-free emoting at the Village Voice Houston Amateur Hour.
- Searching for real answers in the debate about Global Warming (ABC13 Weather Blog)
We’re always inclined to pay more attention to trained professionals like Tim Heller than to the Chron‘s little faith-based global-warming enthusiast guy. - HISD as an education “lighthouse for the world” (Houston Strategies)
